It is common for vehicles to include a factory-installed multi-purpose communications and entertainment system. These in-car systems often include a visual display in the dashboard that simultaneously functions as the user interface. The in-car system typically includes functionality such as GPS, radio controls, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, traffic alerts, emergency assistance, vehicle reports, and other functionality. The in-car system may even include voice control.
However, it is often difficult and expensive to modify these factory-installed in-car systems to add functionality beyond that which was originally envisioned or designed. For example, it is becoming increasingly common for vehicles to include one or more video inputs from around the car, including in the front and back of the car. As just one example, it is often desirable to modify a factory-installed in-car system to add a video feed for a camera located in the back of the vehicle which operates when the car is in reverse or is parking. As desirable and useful as this additional feed might be, it is often expensive to modify the programming of the in-car system to allow for an additional input feed.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an easy and affordable way to retrofit a factory-installed in-car display to enable one or more additional video inputs.